U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions addresses border sheriffs in Las Cruces, New Mexico, April 11, 2018.
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions told a group of border sheriffs that they are the "thin blue line" that stands between transnational criminal organizations from Mexico and the safety of all American citizens.
The Southwestern Border Sheriff's Coalition met Wednesday afternoon in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where Sessions was invited to give an update on what the Department of Justice is doing to give border sheriffs more resources. There were no promises for money, only more manpower from promised National Guard troops.
He told the group that massive amounts of drugs are no longer entering the U.S. by ships and planes. Instead, they are coming over, under and through the U.S.-Mexico border fence and through their counties.
“The drugs that we are seeing based on their purity particularly are the most deadly we have ever seen.”
On President Trump's request for border governors to deploy the National Guard to the border, Sessions said: “We are going to have as many as 4,000 National guardsmen come. They can help. Certain things they are not able to do, and will not be able to do, but there are many ways they can be supportive and helpful.”
So far, it is unclear exactly what those National Guard troops will be doing at the border. Border Patrol sector chiefs in Tucson and Yuma are still waiting for directives from Customs and Border Protection officials in Washington, D.C.
The border sheriffs for the most part say they could use more eyes and ears at the border.
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